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voxvenati's reviews
172 reviews
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Lamott has a really unique take to this life of being a reader and a writer. I laughed and cried. She’s had a real rollercoaster of a life. Overall, I would say, if the above quote isn’t a deal breaker, I do think writers of all sorts can glean something from this book. I only wish there was an updated version that cleaned up some of the “humor”.
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.5
I appreciated this book for what it did. As someone who has been writing for a long time, there were parts of this that are already second nature to me, but might help out a new author. There were also things I had never considered. Some of her writing exercises were interesting, and I will consider using them.
Lamott interspersed anecdotes and humor that I enjoyed (mostly), but much of the humor and some of the language have not aged well. It can feel quite distasteful. An example, referring to the writing of Chilean author Isabel Allende:
Lamott interspersed anecdotes and humor that I enjoyed (mostly), but much of the humor and some of the language have not aged well. It can feel quite distasteful. An example, referring to the writing of Chilean author Isabel Allende:
I understand why this style is so attractive to my students: it’s like primitive art. It’s simple and decorative, with rich colors, satisfying old forms, and a lot of sophistication underneath that you feel but don’t really see.
Lamott has a really unique take to this life of being a reader and a writer. I laughed and cried. She’s had a real rollercoaster of a life. Overall, I would say, if the above quote isn’t a deal breaker, I do think writers of all sorts can glean something from this book. I only wish there was an updated version that cleaned up some of the “humor”.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Every time I reread (re-listen) to Gone Girl, I always hope I’m going to like it more this time. But it’s just good. It’s fine. It leaves you with a sense of dread. Which I’m sure appeals to some people. Not me, though.
People say that everyone sucks in this book, but I don’t know. There are characters I liked. I think Amy is the only character I truly despised, all the way through. I’m not even sure if diary Amy really is supposed to be relatable because I hated her just as much.
On my latest pass through Flynn’s backlist, I started picking up on little similarities, perhaps callbacks or Easter eggs to previous works. Men frivolously buying golf clubs they’ll never use (or it being presented as such), investigations leading to homeless towns, the protagonist owning a pet cat, and drinking amaretto. Just interesting little things.
It’s not my favorite work by Flynn (that goes to Sharp Objects), but it’s got that feel all her books do. Worth the read even just for her writing.
People say that everyone sucks in this book, but I don’t know. There are characters I liked. I think Amy is the only character I truly despised, all the way through. I’m not even sure if diary Amy really is supposed to be relatable because I hated her just as much.
On my latest pass through Flynn’s backlist, I started picking up on little similarities, perhaps callbacks or Easter eggs to previous works. Men frivolously buying golf clubs they’ll never use (or it being presented as such), investigations leading to homeless towns, the protagonist owning a pet cat, and drinking amaretto. Just interesting little things.
It’s not my favorite work by Flynn (that goes to Sharp Objects), but it’s got that feel all her books do. Worth the read even just for her writing.
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Dark Places is a grimy, depressing, graphic trip down memory lane. You get everything from depictions of child murder, an abusive and neglectful father, and animal “sacrifice” to casual racism, poverty, and the satanic panic.
This is my least favorite book by Gillian Flynn, mostly because of the various POV’s. It’s the polar opposite of Sharp Objects, in that way. But I do love Libby and Lyle.
And I grew to love Ben. Modern day Ben, at least. Every POV chapter from him in the past was a SLOG to get through.
The other main reason this ranks lower is because it’s not as solvable as Sharp Objects. Yes, there are some hints, yes, you can figure out bits, but the resolution felt more like a reveal than an aha!
I just don’t like the fact that it was two killers. I understand the why, but it felt cheap. A pet peeve, I know.
Even with my hating about half the chapters, and the main reveal, I do come back to this audiobook every time I do my ~annual reread of Flynn’s works. Sometimes I skip every chapter from the past. This time I didn’t. Still don’t love them. Definitely worth a read if you liked other works by Flynn, though.
This is my least favorite book by Gillian Flynn, mostly because of the various POV’s. It’s the polar opposite of Sharp Objects, in that way. But I do love Libby and Lyle.
The other main reason this ranks lower is because it’s not as solvable as Sharp Objects. Yes, there are some hints, yes, you can figure out bits, but the resolution felt more like a reveal than an aha!
Even with my hating about half the chapters, and the main reveal, I do come back to this audiobook every time I do my ~annual reread of Flynn’s works. Sometimes I skip every chapter from the past. This time I didn’t. Still don’t love them. Definitely worth a read if you liked other works by Flynn, though.
As Flame to Smoke by Eris Adderly
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
It was fine, but I didn’t really like the dynamic. It might have worked better if they were both real people, with real lives outside of fucking one another that we got to see. They felt very flat as characters.
The sex scenes were also pretty mild, truthfully. But on the plus side, it’s a quick read and the writing is easy. I didn’t hate it.
The sex scenes were also pretty mild, truthfully. But on the plus side, it’s a quick read and the writing is easy. I didn’t hate it.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is my favorite Gillian Flynn novel.
There is something so mesmerizing about the way Flynn describes Wind Gap. In a way, it’s like coming home alongside Camille.
This story is just so airtight. There aren’t any lulls, all the characters feel fleshy and real. I really appreciate that nothing is held off, revealed so late it doesn’t matter. All the clues are dense in the text, and they shine even more on subsequent read (or listen) throughs.
Ann Marie Lee also does a wonderful job as the audiobook narrator. The wobble she puts into her voice for certain lines breaks me every time.
There are things that rub, though. There’s a heavy focus on negative traits - being fat or ugly - being indicative of people being bad somehow. A signifier they’re rude or similar. There are a few other things of that caliber too. But looking at other works by Flynn, it feels like commentary on Camille’s outlook, her upbringing, more than anything else. Still, these things do rub.
I have listened to this audiobook at least 4 times since purchasing it. There is something about this book in particular that pulls me back again and again. Dark, violent, and delightful.
There is something so mesmerizing about the way Flynn describes Wind Gap. In a way, it’s like coming home alongside Camille.
This story is just so airtight. There aren’t any lulls, all the characters feel fleshy and real. I really appreciate that nothing is held off, revealed so late it doesn’t matter. All the clues are dense in the text, and they shine even more on subsequent read (or listen) throughs.
Ann Marie Lee also does a wonderful job as the audiobook narrator. The wobble she puts into her voice for certain lines breaks me every time.
There are things that rub, though. There’s a heavy focus on negative traits - being fat or ugly - being indicative of people being bad somehow. A signifier they’re rude or similar. There are a few other things of that caliber too. But looking at other works by Flynn, it feels like commentary on Camille’s outlook, her upbringing, more than anything else. Still, these things do rub.
I have listened to this audiobook at least 4 times since purchasing it. There is something about this book in particular that pulls me back again and again. Dark, violent, and delightful.
The Insatiable Volt Sisters by Rachel Eve Moulton
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Through our four POV characters, we get to explore the complex relationships between island women: sisters, mothers, friends, lovers. There is something dark happening on the island. Magic? A curse? Flipping from past to present, we start to pick it apart.
The premise was so intriguing, I was drawn in. The prose started out gauzy and poetic, and I wanted to know more.
It was so disappointing for me that this book never picks up. It starts off slow, and I was a little bored, but I thought it would get better. Surely everything was building toward something? Not really. Any “set up” felt discarded, and new things were popping up through the 95% mark. It felt pretty lazy.
Were there answers? Yes, but not good ones.
The story isn’t really about what’s wrong with the family, with the island. It’s about the women. And considering one of them is written to be hated, that was hard. She was awful to read, and I could have done without her entirely.
I rather wish BB had actually died.
I do think fans of softer horror - less scary, more ominous - with less interest in the plot and more interest in intra-character drama and vibes might enjoy this. But it wasn’t for me.
Also - someone else mentioned it, but the dog does die.
The premise was so intriguing, I was drawn in. The prose started out gauzy and poetic, and I wanted to know more.
It was so disappointing for me that this book never picks up. It starts off slow, and I was a little bored, but I thought it would get better. Surely everything was building toward something? Not really. Any “set up” felt discarded, and new things were popping up through the 95% mark. It felt pretty lazy.
Were there answers? Yes, but not good ones.
The story isn’t really about what’s wrong with the family, with the island. It’s about the women. And considering one of them is written to be hated, that was hard. She was awful to read, and I could have done without her entirely.
I do think fans of softer horror - less scary, more ominous - with less interest in the plot and more interest in intra-character drama and vibes might enjoy this. But it wasn’t for me.
Also - someone else mentioned it, but the dog does die.
Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book was phenomenal. It blows most of the horror (and all of the YA) I’ve read this year out of the water.
It was dark without being gratuitous. Gave just enough answers while keeping things mysterious. Great pacing overall.
As always, if you’re someone who needs them, make sure to check those content warnings to make sure you’ll be ok. This book does cover some pretty heavy stuff, for YA especially.
Most importantly, all the issues I normally have with YA were blessedly absent. We didn’t have stupid protagonists. We don’t have weirdly-adult teenagers. We didn’t have things overly spelled out for the audience. It was just an honestly good horror/thriller with teenage protagonists and without any of the usual pitfalls of the YA genre.
It was dark without being gratuitous. Gave just enough answers while keeping things mysterious. Great pacing overall.
As always, if you’re someone who needs them, make sure to check those content warnings to make sure you’ll be ok. This book does cover some pretty heavy stuff, for YA especially.
Most importantly, all the issues I normally have with YA were blessedly absent. We didn’t have stupid protagonists. We don’t have weirdly-adult teenagers. We didn’t have things overly spelled out for the audience. It was just an honestly good horror/thriller with teenage protagonists and without any of the usual pitfalls of the YA genre.
In a Book Club Far Away by Tif Marcelo
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
This book was mostly fine, but I had a hell of a time with it.
On a technical level, this book was on par. It flowed easily, and the characters had different enough voices. The story was pretty straightforward (though I think the blurb oversells the “unimaginable betrayal”) and wraps up fine.
My rating is severe because it was just so boring. This took me over a year to get through bc I do not DNF books. It was a miserable, chore-like experience.
The book club in the book wasn’t even fun. It was maybe the most boring and hamfisted part of the book. I feel duped.
There were some meatier issues with the book as well. There is an almost grotesque obsession with women having babies and having worth based on their status as mothers. I don’t think there was a single line that interrogated the military as exploitative or delved into deeper issues at all. It was very surface level and catty.
If you just want something sort of meandering, with mild romance, a focus on army wife life, and a so-so plot, I think it’s for you, but I would not recommend this book as a general rule.
On a technical level, this book was on par. It flowed easily, and the characters had different enough voices. The story was pretty straightforward (though I think the blurb oversells the “unimaginable betrayal”) and wraps up fine.
My rating is severe because it was just so boring. This took me over a year to get through bc I do not DNF books. It was a miserable, chore-like experience.
The book club in the book wasn’t even fun. It was maybe the most boring and hamfisted part of the book. I feel duped.
There were some meatier issues with the book as well. There is an almost grotesque obsession with women having babies and having worth based on their status as mothers. I don’t think there was a single line that interrogated the military as exploitative or delved into deeper issues at all. It was very surface level and catty.
If you just want something sort of meandering, with mild romance, a focus on army wife life, and a so-so plot, I think it’s for you, but I would not recommend this book as a general rule.
All of Our Demise by C.L. Herman, Amanda Foody
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There were a few interesting developments in this book, but a lot of repetitive, circular action that made it feel both very long and simultaneously as though very little was happening.
I did like Gavin a lot more in this book, but few other characters had interesting developments. This definitely felt like Gavin’s book.
And good for Gavin!! Very pleased to see him and Alistair get together. That was cute.
I cried when Gavin spoke to his brother and they had a moment. That’s the good stuff!!
Did not think every champion needed to be paired off into couples though 😮💨
Also sad about MY BOY Hendry, but alas. It had to be, I didn’t really expect anything less.
A very meh conclusion to the duology. Worth it only if you’re invested in the characters, though. The plot was not spectacular.
I did like Gavin a lot more in this book, but few other characters had interesting developments. This definitely felt like Gavin’s book.
I cried when Gavin spoke to his brother and they had a moment. That’s the good stuff!!
Did not think every champion needed to be paired off into couples though 😮💨
Also sad about MY BOY Hendry, but alas. It had to be, I didn’t really expect anything less.
A very meh conclusion to the duology. Worth it only if you’re invested in the characters, though. The plot was not spectacular.
Triple-Duty Bodyguards by Lily Gold
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was fine. I liked the premise well enough, and the characters were pretty interesting to start, but it wasn’t spectacular. Just fine.
The main problem I had with this book was that I expected more action. The premise revolves around a stalker escalating their violence. The body guards are all ex-military. I wanted more of that. More about their military days. More drama. More to the stalker.
Other nitpicks are that I just didn’t love Briar. She was fine but not my favorite heroine. The heroes were also a little flatter than I’d have liked. It felt like Matt got the most screen time, but I still barely knew him. All three of them felt like they were reduced to one (1) flaw they had to overcome. Not great.
The sex scenes were also fine, but became repetitive. This is especially true if you’ve read other Lily Gold books.
Worth reading if you like Lily Gold or “why choose?” romance, but not my favorite.
The main problem I had with this book was that I expected more action. The premise revolves around a stalker escalating their violence. The body guards are all ex-military. I wanted more of that. More about their military days. More drama. More to the stalker.
Other nitpicks are that I just didn’t love Briar. She was fine but not my favorite heroine. The heroes were also a little flatter than I’d have liked. It felt like Matt got the most screen time, but I still barely knew him. All three of them felt like they were reduced to one (1) flaw they had to overcome. Not great.
The sex scenes were also fine, but became repetitive. This is especially true if you’ve read other Lily Gold books.
Worth reading if you like Lily Gold or “why choose?” romance, but not my favorite.